Procurement tenders are an extremely common way of soliciting proposals for a project. In addition to being one of the main ways of doing business with the government, many private companies also use a Request for Proposal (RFP) process to narrow their focus for vendors for a project. Request for Proposal response and bid submissions…
Project Management is a critical function in many businesses. Even in companies that aren’t projectized, it’s probable that you’ll deal with many projects throughout the year. In an ideal situation, you’ll have access to a full Project Management Office (PMO), dedicated resources, and all the tools needed to successfully deliver on a project. Realistically, it’s…
The Request for Proposal (RFP) (also known as Request for Quotation) process is a very common way for the Canadian government to procure products and services from private suppliers. The federal government has recently increased procurement opportunities for Canadian businesses, and several funding programs have shifted towards gated applications and the procurement process to ensure…
Canadian government funding programs often use terminology that is difficult for applicants to understand. These terms may be uncommon, but they are significant and important to comprehend when it comes to developing competitive government funding applications. Applicants should have a basis to understand government funding programs, including the terminology used to talk about types of…
Lean and Six Sigma initiatives are popular amongst medium and large manufacturing firms. These data-driven approaches to managing quality, waste, and continuous improvement are ideal for complex manufacturing environments where a large volume of data can be collected and analyzed, however businesses of all sizes and sectors can use the strategies to improve their operational…
For almost 10 years I’ve held management roles in both for-profit and non-profit organizations. As a young manager, I thought that in order to motivate others, I first needed to show them how to achieve desired results. This was a grave mistake, as it was only part of the picture. I rarely shared why I…
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the following article are those of the guest author and do not necessarily represent or reflect Mentor Works Ltd. One of the many challenges of managing a small business is dealing with the complexities of growth. There are more clients, more employees, more problems, and more decisions to…
Recently, my office took part in a training session that used theatrical improv to help develop business communication skills. Throughout the course of the day, as we performed various verbal exercises in groups, it became clear that some of us relished the chance to have all eyes upon us, while others found it unsettling. Either…
NSERC Engage is a collaborative research and development program where businesses may access university researchers to help solve an innovative technological problem. Recently, 10 NSERC Engage partnerships were formed between Canadian companies and Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Computer Science. In addition to helping businesses find academic partners to help conduct R&D projects, businesses who apply…
Exporting is one of the most important growth strategies used by businesses across Canada. Nearly 73,000 Canadian small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) leverage new markets and opportunities outside of the country by exporting goods or services. This, however, only accounted for 11.8% of SMEs in Canada signaling that there is reluctance among Canadian businesses to…